The Black Rep is closing out its 42nd season with a powerful musical document, Nina Simone: Four Women, showcasing the life and music of the legendary jazz singer and civil rights activist, compared and contrasted with other black women set amidst the race-based violence in 1960s Alabama, the show highlights events and issues in a historical context as well as pointing out their universal importance. It’s also a remarkable showcase for some truly stellar performances and production values.

The time is September, 1963. The place, the ruins of the 16th Street Baptist Church following the bombings that killed four young black girls. The play opens with a recital by the renowned singer Nina Simone (Leah Stewart), which is interrupted by a jarring explosion. Then, we see Simone in the ruins of the church, rehearsing at the piano and working on a new song, her first protest song “Mississippi Goddam’. Amid the violence outside (as police turn water hoses on protesters and black passersby), Simone is introduced to three women from different walks of life. First there is Sarah (Denise Thimes), who works as a maid for a white family and is referred to in the program as “The Strongest Black Woman in the World”. Eventually, they are joined by young activist Sephronia (Alex Jay), who the program describes as “The Mulatto That Lives Between Two Worlds”, and another young woman identified as Sweet Thing (Camille Sharp), described as “The Sweetest Hips Money Can Buy”, and who has an adversarial connection with Sephronia that is revealed in more detail as the story plays out. The story is told in conversations, and in memorable music mostly in the jazz and gospel genres, including “God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again”, “His Eye Is On the Sparrow”, “To Be Young Gifted and Black”, the aforementioned “Mississippi Goddam”, and the memorable closing number “Four Women” in which the four main characters each get a chance to shine. It’s essentially a character study and an examination of the impact of systemic racism on people–and particularly women–who all experience the impact of racism even as they themselves differ in terms of class, background, education, philosophies of protest, and attitudes toward one another. Also, while the four adult main characters are the focus, the presence of the young girls who were killed in the bombings is constantly referenced, emphasizing the great tragedy of the bombings and the desire–and need–for change.

The performances here are nothing short of stellar, with rich portrayals and powerhouse voices all around. The contrasting personalities are portrayed with profound energy and strong ensemble chemistry, as these women tell their stories and get to know one another. It’s difficult to single out one standout, as all four are equally excellent, with strong acting and even stronger singing from Stewart as the determined Simone, Thimes as the world-weary Sarah, Jay as the determined Sephronia, and Sharp as the brash, confrontational Sweet Thing. This is a tour-de-force from all four performers, with standout musical performances individually as well as impressive harmonies on the group numbers.

The production values are always excellent at the Black Rep, but they especially impress here, with a remarkably detailed and evocative set by Tim Jones that suggest the time and place with a striking credibility. There are also excellent period costumes by Nikki Glaros, strong choreography by Heather Beal, and superb musical direction by Charles Creath. As great as everything is technically, special note needs to go to the lighting and sound in this production, as lighting designer Sean Savoie and sound designer Justin Schmitz especially evoke time, place, and mood and contribute to the profoundly affecting atmosphere of the production, and its context.

Nina Simone: Four Women is, simply speaking, a must-see, and a must-hear. Conveying its profound message through character and song, it sheds light on an important period in history, as well as a legendary musical figure and an always important message of agency and rising against oppression. It’s a truly remarkable production from the Black Rep.

Leah Stewart, Denise HimesPhoto by Phillip HamerThe Black Rep

The Black Rep is presenting Nina Simone: Four Women at Washington University’s Edison Theatre until June 2, 2019

I Now Pronounce
by Tasha Gordon-Solmon
Directed by Edward Coffield
New Jewish Theatre
May 18, 2019

Graham Emmons, Jessica KaddishPhoto by Jon GitchoffNew Jewish Theatre

For the last show of its 2018-2019 season, New Jewish Theatre has invited its audiences to a wedding. Tasha Gordon-Solmon’s I Now Pronounce is probably best described as a comedy with dramatic moments, telling a series of inter-connected stories within the context of one eventful wedding. As directed by NJT’s Artistic Director Edward Coffield, the production is a sometimes poignant, sometimes hilarious, highly memorable event.

The structure of the play is, for the most part, episodic, with stories playing out over the course of one night involving the wedding of Nicole (Jessica Kaddish) and Adam (Graham Emmons), detailing the aftermath of an unexpected and shocking event that happens during the ceremony. An aging, forgetful Rabbi (Craig Neuman) introduces the story with some background information that gets increasingly mixed up as the speech–along with the mimed ceremony–progresses. Then, it’s over, and as familiar “wedding reception”-type songs play over the scene transitions, the story in all its comedy and drama unfolds. We meet the bride and groom, who individually try to deal with the events of the ceremony and its implications for their relationship, as well as the bridesmaids and groomsmen, including the bubbly, adventurous Michelle (Delaney Piggins), the initially more level-headed Eva (Frankie Ferrari), the brash, crass Dave (Will Bonfiglio) and the recently married but lovelorn Seth (Ryan Lawson-Maeske). Through the course of the evening, the characters interact and play out dramas of their own, involving some commonly accepted “wedding story” cliches, but also with some real moments of insight. There’s also a fun concurrent side story involving a trio of flower girls (Millie Edelman, Abby Goldstein, and Lydia Mae Foss) who find their own adventures and offer their own unique perspective of events. Although sometimes it seems like too much is going on at once, ultimately it’s a fun story and a celebration of hope in the midst of chaos and unpredictable life events.

This is an ensemble show, with a fairly broadly characterized cast of characters, and the actors play their parts well. Emmons and Kaddish, as the loving but sometimes combative newlyweds, lead a fine cast of local performers. Also strong are Piggins as the well-meaning but flighty Michelle, Lawson-Maeske as the sullen Seth, well-matched with Ferrari as the seemingly dependable but surprising Eva, and Bonfiglio in a somewhat unusual role for him as the boorish Dave. Neuman has some excellent moments as well, starting off the play memorably as the Rabbi, and young Edelman, Goldstein, and Foss are simply delightful as the flower girls. It’s an excellent, cohesive ensemble with strong chemistry, contributing to the overall comic energy of this production.

The whole wedding atmosphere is represented with authenticity here by means of David Blake’s detailed set, Michele Siler’s meticulously well-suited costumes, and excellent lighting by Tony Anselmo and sound by Amanda Werre. The choice of music throughout the production is especially notable, as well–with hits from ABBA, Cyndi Lauper, and others featured in the transition scenes and seeming especially appropriate for the setting. Director Edward Coffield’s staging is well-paced, as well, building up to a fun, upbeat conclusion.

I Now Pronounce is a memorable conclusion to the season for New Jewish Theatre. It’s not the deepest of stories, but there are some poignant moments and a lot of well-timed comedy. What stands out the most, though, is the top-notch cast. The curtain call is a real treat, as well.

Mustard Seed Theatre has closed its 2018-2019 season with playwright Lucas Hnath’s Death Tax. Something of a morality play with a timely subject matter, the play offers thought-provoking drama and well-drawn characters. Still, although the cast and staging are strong, sometimes it seems the play is trying to say too many things at once.

Hnath is a celebrated and prolific playwright whose works include the Tony-nominated A Doll’s House, Part 2. Death Tax, first staged in 2012, was his first published play. As a script, it makes sense to me that this is a first play, considering its lofty ideas and strong characterization, but somewhat confusing and unbelievable goals and premise. The setup involves an ailing, aging nursing home patient named Maxine (Kim Furlow) and her primary nurse, Tina (Jeanitta Perkins), who narrates the play and sets up its five scenes. For most of the play, the plot focuses on Tina, a divorced immigrant who desperately wishes to be reunited with her young son, who is currently living with his father in Haiti. Maxine, who is estranged from and highly suspicious of her adult daughter (Kristen Strom), presents Tina with an outlandish theory and a shocking proposal that Tina sees as a way to eventually help her see her son again. Standing in the way of Tina’s plans is her supervisor and would-be romantic suitor, the socially awkward and insecure Todd (Reginald Pierre), who is willing to help Tina on his own terms. This sets up a chain of increasingly complicated moral dilemmas for Tina, who becomes even more conflicted after finally meeting Maxine’s daughter. As the scenes progress, more and more unpredictable events happen until the last scene, which features a twist that is at once clever and muddling to the rest of the story. It’s an intense drama for most of the production, but the last scene almost sends it too far into the realm of the absurd, although there are some thought-provoking points raised as well.

The casting here is this production’s greatest strength, led by Perkins in a dual role as the increasingly conflicted and mostly sympathetic Nurse Tina and as a businesslike social worker in one of the scenes. Furlow, as Maxine, is suitably cantankerous, doing the best she can with a character that’s difficult to like. Pierre has a similar issue with his primary role, as the manipulative, self-focused Todd, giving a strong performance in a largely unsympathetic role, and also in another more ambiguous role in another scene. Strom, as the daughter, impresses in what is perhaps the most surprising role in the play, lending much sympathy to the character and her plight.

Technically, Death Tax is well-presented, with a versatile modular set by Jamie Perkins, atmospheric lighting by Michael Sullivan, excellent sound by Zoe Sullivan, and well-suited costumes by Jane Sullivan. Although there are some plot holes, the story raises a lot of timely questions concerning end-of-life care, parent-child relationships, sexual harassment and coercion, and more. Mustard Seed’s production is, as usual, thoughtfully staged and boasts an excellent local cast.

It’s one of those days that people remember with specific detail. “Where were you when?” Most people have an answer. I have an answer, and invariably when the subject comes up, people around me start telling their stories of 9/11. The people of Gander, Newfoundland in Canada have a particular story that has become internationally famous–that of a small unprepared town that suddenly had to play host to thousands of grounded air travelers for several days following that fateful Tuesday in 2001. Come From Away is the award-winning musical that tells their story. Currently on tour across North America, the production has now landed at the Fox, and it’s well worth seeing.

This isn’t a huge, flashy show. In fact, it strikes me as the type of show that will do particularly well in regional theatres once the rights become available. The Broadway production represented by the current tour is striking, but remarkably simple, in a good way. There isn’t an elaborate set–it’s more of an evocation. A tree-surrounded, versatile backdrop designed by Beowulf Borritt, stunningly lit by Howell Binkley, and with the excellent band conducted by Cynthia Kortman Westphal on stage as part of the action. The music is a mixture of styles, mostly with a folk-ish vibe and featuring a variety of instruments from guitar and drums to accordion and various flutes and whistles. It’s a distinctive score with songs that tell the stories of the various residents and “Come From Away” visitors.

The staging is dynamic, with an energetic pace and a small-ish cast in which the actors are all performing more than one role. The story follows the events in Gander on September 11, 2001 and the days following, with some catching up at the end to tell the audience about what happened to some of the key players in the ten years after the events of the story. The residents of Gander, various airline passengers from around the world, and airline employees are featured and a whole lot happens in a few days. The locals scramble to help the passengers, the passengers find out about what’s happening after hours on their planes, and various relationships are formed and strained. It’s a tuneful show with a lot of heart, focusing on kindness and compassion.

There’s drama and humor, and some genuine poignancy, all played out by a fantastic ensemble cast. Everyone is excellent, but standouts include Kevin Carolan as the town’s mayor; Becky Gulsvig as pilot Beverley, who leads the standout number “Me and the Sky”; Megan McGinnis who plays animal shelter worker Bonnie, who makes it her mission to find and care for the animals on the planes; Danielle K. Thomas as Hannah, who’s searching for news about her NYC firefighter son; and Chamblee Ferguson and Christine Toy Johnson as Nick and Diane, an Englishman and Texan woman who get to know one another over the course of the show.

I hadn’t seen or heard much of this show before seeing this production, and I’m glad that I’ve been able to see it now. This is a top-notch touring production of a poignant, unique, fascinating musical with a great score and an excellent cast. Come From Away isn’t a long show, but there’s a lot going on in its 100 minute running time. It’s a story of a town and its people who tell their stories and share their lives with strangers and help find some hope in the midst of tragedy. It’s a remarkable show.

Becky Gulsvig (center) and CastPhoto by Matthew MurphyCome From Away North American Tour

The North American Tour of Come From Away is playing at the Fox Theatre until May 26, 2019

As I noted in my last review, this year’s Tennessee Williams Festival opened with a stunning production of The Night of the Iguana. As is usual, however, the main stage production is not the only thing the festival has to offer. Here are two other excellent shows from the festival:

A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur
by Tennessee Williams
Directed by Kari Ely

A strong local cast and brisk staging are the highlights of this show, one of Williams’ later plays originally staged in 1979. Set in a Central West End apartment in the 1930s, this is a funny, poignant piece that features the common Williams theme of loneliness, but the tone is more comic than usual. In fact, it almost has a sitcom-like feel at times, which might be part of what lends to the theory (touted in the festival’s advertising) that this play was an inspiration for the 1980s comedy series The Golden Girls. On my viewing, I would say resemblances to that series are slight, and the play’s appeal rests more in its portrayal of its time, setting, and character situations, along with the very “St. Louis” vibe of the piece.

The story emphasizes class differences and individual aspirations as well as personal hopes and dreams, along with relationships among very different women who initially have wildly different goals. For Bodey (Kelley Weber), the middle-aged single daughter of German immigrants, her hope seems to revolve around picnics at Creve Coeur Lake and setting up her also single twin brother–the unseen but much talked-about Buddy–with Bodey’s younger, Southern-born high school teacher roommate Dorothea, or “Dottie” (Maggie Wininger). Dottie, however, has other plans that revolve largely around another unseen but much discussed character, her school’s principal, Ralph Ellis. As Bodey prepares food and tries to convince Dottie to go on an outing to the lake with her, Dottie is determined to stay home and wait for an expected phone call from Ralph, and both women are surprised at different times by two guests. First, there’s the social-climbing Helena (Julie Layton), who works with Dottie and hopes to get her to move into an expensive, more fashionable apartment with her. Then, there’s Miss Sophie Gluck (Ellie Schwetye), a German-born neighbor in the apartment building whose mother has recently died and who Bodey has been trying to console. As the story progresses, much is revealed about the motives of the various women, as well as the truth about the objects of their aspirations.

It’s a fast-moving, broadly comic piece with a clear undertone of melancholy, and the casting is excellent, from Weber’s determined, down-to-earth Bodey to Wininger’s dreamy and conflicted Dottie, to Layton’s haughty Helena. Schwetye, as the grieving, awkward Sophie, is a standout, with a memorable performance that is at equal turns poignant and broadly comic. The staging is fast-paced, with some impressive moments of physical comedy along with the strong characterizations.

The production values are also excellent, with a detailed and somewhat whimsical recreation of a 1930s St. Louis apartment by scenic designer Ali Strelchun, and excellent costumes by Garth Dunbar, lighting by David LaRose, and sound by Kareem Deanes. It’s a fun, compelling treat of a performance of a show that many viewers may not have heard of. It’s well worth checking out.

Tennessee Williams Festival is presenting A Lovely Sunday For Creve Coeur upstairs at the Grandel Theatre until May 19, 2019

“Dear Mr.Williams”
Written and Performed by Bryan Batt
Directed and Developed with Michael Wilson

Bryan BattPhoto by Suzy GormanTennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Also on stage this weekend was another show that ran for three performances. Dear Mr. Williamsis a one-man show written and performed by Bryan Batt, who is probably best known for his role on the television show Mad Men. Here, Batt has collaborated with director Michael Wilson to present a highly personal show, portraying how Tennessee Williams and his plays have inspired Batt throughout his life.

This was a fascinating show, part dramatization and part autobiographical monologue, as Batt intersperses the story of his own life growing up in New Orleans with dramatized quotes from Williams about the city he also loved, as well as theatre, sexuality, and more. The story is poignant and personal, with Batt telling how his family’s history sometimes coincided with Williams’ plays, and also how he discovered Williams’ plays along with his journey into acting as well as coming to terms with his sexuality in the 1970s and early 1980s. Batt has a strong stage presence and personable manner, and his transitions between “Bryan” and “Tennessee” were, for the most part, seamless, although at times the transitions were so quick that they could be confusing. Still, this was an intriguing and fascinating portrayal.

Technical director and stage manager Michael B. Perkins also contributed to the simple but impressive staging, although Batt–and his portrayal of Williams–are front and center. It was a witty, poignant, and memorable performance, working well in the small but elegant space in the Curtain Call lounge. It’s another strong example of the variety and excellence on display at the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis.

Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis has made a lasting impression on the theatre scene here in four short years. Through its mainstage productions, other theatrical offerings, panel discussions and additonal events, the festival has established a strong presence. Last year’s mainstage show, A Streetcar Named Desire, proved to be a highlight of the entire St. Louis theatrical year. Now, the festival is following up last year’s success with a new, bold staging of Williams’ thought-provoking The Night of the Iguana, boasting a strong cast and especially stunning production values.

The stage of the Grandel Theatre has been strikingly transformed into a run-down hotel in Mexico by means of a spectacular set by Dunsi Dai and luminous lighting by Jon Ontiveros, along with meticulously detailed costumes by Garth Dunbar. The story focuses on common themes for Williams–loneliness, flawed people, and seemingly unattainable dreams. Here, the focus is on a disgraced former minister-turned-tour guide in the early years of World War II. Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon (James Andrew Butz) is an alcoholic who left his last church job in disgrace after an inappropriate relationship with a very young Sunday school teacher. Now, he’s leading a tour group of young ladies from Texas on an excursion that is straying from the advertised route, to the great dismay of chaperone Judith Fellowes (Elizabeth Ann Townsend), who is especially upset about Shannon’s attentions toward one of her charges, the 16-year-old Charlotte Goodall (Summer Baer). There’s also the newly-widowed Maxine Faulk (Lavonne Byers), who owns the hotel and has designs on Shannon. Meanwhile, a group of German tourists (Steve Isom, Teresa Doggett, Chaunery Kingsford Tanguay, and Hannah Lee Eisenbath) meander about, gleefully singing and celebrating news from Europe (basically, bombings and perceived Nazi victories). Into this situation come traveling artists and hustlers in their own way Hannah Jelkes (Nisi Sturgis) and her grandfather or “Nonno”, elderly poet Jonathan Coffin (Harry Weber), who is dealing with memory loss and struggling to finish his last poem. As memorable as all the characters are, including a supporting ensemble that features Victor Mendez (as Pedro), Luis Aguilar (as Pancho), Spencer Sickmann (as Hank), and Greg Johnston (as Jake Latta), the key figures are Shannon, Maxine, Hannah, and Nonno, and the most gripping and compelling drama revolves around these characters. Questions raised include regret, lost dreams and aspirations, temptation vs. desire for redemption, loneliness, and more. It’s a deep, intense, and sometimes disturbing character study that explores how these characters play off of one another and what makes them who they are.

The atmosphere is stunningly realized by the production, and the theme and struggle of the characters is well-portrayed by the first-rate cast, led by the always excellent Butz as the troubled Shannon and the especially impressive Sturgis as Hannah, who imbues her character with a hopeful energy and a believable mid-century accent and excellent chemistry with Butz, along with a credible sense of a lived history and genuine bond with the also excellent Weber as the determined, ailing Nonno. Byers also turns in a memorable performance as the brash, possessive Maxine. The rest of the supporting cast is strong as well, with standouts including Townsend as assertive Judith, and Isom and Doggett as deceptively cheerful German tourists. It’s a cohesive cast all around, with everyone turning in a strong performance, supporting the truly remarkable leads.

The Night of the Iguana is a compelling evocation of time, place, and character, with characters who are notably flawed and struggle to maintain hope in the midst of a sense of looming menace, both internal and external. It’s a vividly staged, impeccably cast production. It ushers in the Fourth Annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis with remarkable energy and poignancy. It’s another stunning success from the Festival.

Upstream Theater has taken audiences on theatrical trips to various places around the world through its productions, from Australia to England to Germany and beyond. The company’s latest production heads to Wales, with Welsh playwright Tim Price’s Salt, Root, and Roe. It’s an atmospheric piece and vivid portrayal of characters, with a lyrical tone and serious subject matter, as its characters deal with memory, mortality, old attachments, and more. At Upstream, this play is given a compelling treatment with a strong cast and great production values.

The setting here is Pembrokeshire, in southwestern Wales, where elderly twin sisters Iola (Donna Weinsting) and Arnest (Sally Edmonston) grew up. The play begins as Arnest’s daughter Menna (Amy Loui) has returned to the old seaside cottage prompted by a “goodbye” letter from her Aunt Iola, frantic to find Iola and stop her from doing anything drastic, but fearing she might be too late. As Menna and her childhood friend and possible former love interest, police officer Gareth (Eric Hyde White), discuss plans and dread what may have happened, the sisters arrive at the cottage, surprised to see Menna there. That’s only the beginning. From there, the story gradually unfolds and more details are revealed about all four characters and their situations, which are a lot more complicated than they first appear. The structure is more or less linear, although there are non-linear elements and breaks from continuity for poetic musings and reminiscences from the sisters. The Welsh setting, culture, and language are essential elements of the story. I won’t give away too much, except to say some of the subject matter here is especially intense and may be difficult for some viewers, as it deals heavily with the subjects of aging, dementia, and mortality.

The setting is well depicted in this production. Scenic designer Michael Heil has transformed the small black box space at the Kranzberg Arts Center into a vividly realized representation of a seaside cottage and its surroundings. Lighting designer Steve Carmichael and props designer Rachel Tibbetts, along with scenic artist Lucy Garlich also contribute impressively to the overall mood of the production. Michele Friedman Siler’s costumes are also excellent, suiting the characters especially well.

The characterizations here are particularly strong, despite an inconsistency with the accents. As the sisters, Weinsting and Edmonson display excellent chemistry and a thouroughly believable bond. There’s a real sense of history, and mutual dependence, in their relationship. Weinsting in particular is a standout for the sheer range of emotions in her portrayal, as Iola struggles to retain a sense of herself as her memory is rapidly fading. Loui, as the protective, world-weary Menna, is also excellent, and White lends fine support as the loyal friend Gareth. It’s a strong ensemble that brings a real sense of poignancy and heart to the already poignant script.

Salt, Root, and Roe is a play that’s sure to provoke a lot of thought and discussion, especially in terms of some of the characters’ choices, but also in questions of mortality that are inherent to the human condition regardless of particular situations. The Welsh setting lends a lyrical air to the production, as well. It’s another memorable production from Upstream Theater.

Amy Loui, Eric Dean WhitePhoto by ProPhotoSTL.comUpstream Theater

Upstream Theater is presenting Salt, Root, and Roe at the Kranzberg Arts Center until May 12, 2019